Device for advertisements or other indications, especially a sign board

ABSTRACT

An advertising sign board with indicia that changes at regular intervals. The display surface of the sign is formed by a plurality of elements arranged side by side at the front of a supporting frame. Another row of elements is provided at the rear side of the frame. A separate wide endless ribbon is mounted on each element in the front row and on a corresponding element in the rear row. Each of the ribbons is advanced simultaneously from one display section to another by rotation of the elements in the front and rear rows.

United States Patent Segeltorp, Sweden Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee DEVICE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS OR OTHER INDICATIONS, ESPECIALLY A SIGN BOARD 4 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-Richard Carter Attorney-Burns, Doane, Swecker &. Mathis ABSTRACT: An advertising sign board with indicia that [1.8. CI changes at regular lntervals The surface of the ign is [51 l [1,. Cl formed by a plurality of elements arranged ide by ide at the Field Of Search t t 96, front of a supporting frame Anorher row of elements is pro. 77-4, 77-6, vided at the rear side of the frame. A separate wide endless [561 Refer 6 Ct d ribbon is mounted on each element in the front row and on a c s i e corresponding element in the rear row. Each of the ribbons is UNITED STATES PATENTS advanced simultaneously from one display section to another 2,647,335 3/1953 Andersson 40/77.7 by rotation of the elements in the front and rear rows.

I I II 9 w Il N;- n. I b n ATENTED JUN 1 |97i SHEET 1 0F 4 //ARRY Tvss/Ne BY 3 PATENTEDJUH new 3 5 1 41 sum 2 or a INVENIOR.

HARRY TRYSS/A/G BY m4. a 5M PATENTED JUN 1 I97! 3; 5 81.418

sum 3 or 4 INVEN'IUR. l/ARRV TRYSSING DEVICE FOR ADVERTISEMENTS OR OTHER INDICATIONS, ESPECIALLY A SIGN BOARD The present invention relates to a device for advertising or other indications, especially for display of advertisements. The purpose of the invention is to provide a device of the kind described for advertising and for obtaining a plurality of different signs or indications which alternate with each other on one and the same display surface.

Advertising sign boards for such purposes are already known. One type of such sign boards comprises a number of triangular prismatic rods located side by side and adapted to rotate synchronously about different rotational axes. On the surfaces of said rods are parts of signs or advertisements located which together form a complete sign or advertisement. Because the rods are rotating (preferably intermittently), different surfaces of the rods will successively bc visible and form different advertising surfaces. In this way it will be possible to obtain three different advertisements by one single device.

The invention relates to a device for advertising, especially a sign board, in which rotatable rods located side by side are used, but in which an arbitrary numberofdifferent advertising pictures can be obtained.

A device according to the invention comprises a plurality of identical rod-shaped elements disposed side by side to form an advertising surface. Each element is rotatable about its own longitudinal axis. The elements are mechanically connected to each other for simultaneous rotations through equal angles during each period of rotation.

According to the invention each element is enclosed in or surrounded by a broad, endless ribbon, which is driven by the element, so that for each rotation through a predetermined angle of the element a new surface of said ribbon will be visi ble from the outside of the device. Each ribbon is provided with a number of pictures, which form parts of different adver tisements. Said different advertisements will be visible in suc cession from the outside of the device when all the ribbons are driven as stated above.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanied drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a device according to the invention as viewed from one side.

FIG. 2 illustrates the device according to FIG. 1 as viewed from one of its edges.

FIG. 3 is a section through the device according to FIG. I along the line III-III, as viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 4 illustrates a section of the device according to FIG. 1, along the line IV-IV, as viewed in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. Sis a detail of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is another detail of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a section on a greater scale of a part of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a detail view on a greater scale of the device according to FIG. 1.

FIGS. 9 and I illustrate a locking device used in connection with the device according to FIG. 1.

FIG. 11 is a sign according to the invention provided with an illuminating device.

FIG. 12 is still another sectional detail view of another embodiment of the invention.

According to FIG. 1 the advertising sign board comprises a rectangular frame or structure I. The sign board is provided with two surfaces viz. an advertising surface 2 on the front side of the device'and a surface 3 on the rear side of the device. Each surface is composed of I 1 vertical rod-shaped elements located at the side of each other as shown in the FIGS. I and 4. The elements at the front side of the device is designated 4 and at the rear side designated 5.

Each rod-shaped element 4 and 5 has the sectional shape of an equilateral triangle. Each rod-shaped element 4 and 5 is kept in place between two triangular blocks designated 6 and 7 in FIG. 1. The blocks 6 and 7 are provided with shafts which at the bottom side of the sign are pivoted in and penetrating a plate 8 and at the top side of the device are pivoted in and penetrating a plate 9. Each rod-shaped element 4, 5 is thus rotatable about a vertical axis.

On top of the plate 9 each of the shafts projecting upwards from the triangular blocks 6 are provided with a circular disc 10(see also FIG. 2). Said disc 10 is fixed to the associated rod so that the disc will rotate together with the rod-shaped element. Each disc I0 is provided with an upwards projecting pin 11 located eccentrically with respect to the rotational axis. The pin 11 is pivoted in and penetrating a plate 12 (see also FIGS. 2 and 3). In this way all elements 4 and 5 are connected to each other which means that if two of said elements are brought to rotate with the same rotational speed, all other elements will be brought to rotate synchronously. Two of the rodshaped elements (in FIG. I designated 13 and 14) are adapted to be driven, as will be apparent from FIG. I. To this end, the shafts which project from the triangular blocks 7 inserted in the rod-shaped elements are provided with a circular disc 15 and I6 located under the plate 8. Each of said discs 15 and I6 is provided with three symmetrically disposed and vertically directed pins 17, I8, 19 (see FIG. 6). Beneath each disc 15 and I6 there is another disc 20 and 2] respectively, which is adapted to be driven continuously by :a motor 22 by means of a chain connection 23. Each disc 20 and 21 has its rotational axis located eccentrically with respect to the rotational axis of the disc 15 and I6 respectively. From FIG. 6 this arrangement will be evident. Each disc 20 and 21 is provided with a radially outwards directed pin 24 adapted to cooperate with one of the pins I7, 18 or 19 during a third of a revolution of the discs 20 and 21 respectively. During the rest of the revolution there will be no cooperation between the pin 24 and the pins l7, l8 and 19. This means, that for each revolution of the disc 20 or 21, the disc 15 or 16 located above said discs will be rotated through an angle of This means in turn, that all rodshaped elements will be rotated a corresponding angle and that a new surface of the rod-shaped element will be brought to the surface of the sign so that a new outer surface of the ad vertising device will be formed.

The rod-shaped elements 4 and 5 can be rotated at such in tervals that they remain stationary during, for example, 4 c seconds between each rotation.

According t the invention a broad ribbon designated 25 (see also FIG. 6) is stretched over each pair of rods 4 and 5 which are located opposite to each other. For each rotation through 120 of the rods 4 and 5 a new section of each ribbon 25 will be visible on the advertising surface 2.

The length in the rotational direction of each ribbon 25 should be an odd multiple of the width of one side of a rod shaped element 4 or 5.

If, for example, said multiple is 9, one obtains nine different pictures on the advertising surface of the sign. However, said multiple may be of any value. It is only the distance between the two rod-shaped elements in each pair, e.g., the thickness of the sign board which will be influenced. It is therefore possible to obtain an arbitrary number of different sign or advertisement pictures which alternate with each other during the use of the device. 7

In order to prevent that the ribbon 25 slips on the rodshaped elements it is suitable to provide the rods with small teeth or pins preferably located in each comer of the rods and in the vicinity of the ends of the rods. These teeth are designated 30, in FIGS. 68, and in FIG. 12.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the teeth 30 of each alternate rodshaped element may be a little axially displaced with respect to the teeth of the intermediate element. In this way the teeth of one rod may be brought to engage recesses in the ribbon surrounding said rod and also in the recesses in the adjacent rod so that said teeth will not prevent the rotation of the rod.

According to a further embodiment of the invention each alternate rod-shaped element in each row of such elements in FIG. I may be caused to rotate in one direction and the intermediate rod-shaped elements to rotate in the opposite direction. By this means the adjacent parts of different ribbons 25 will be moved in the same direction whereby friction between such adjacent parts will be avoided.

When the rods are driven in different directions as indicated above it will be suitable to connect the rods together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7. According to FIG. 7 there are comb-shaped elements 31, the teeth of which are provided with holes 32 in which the pins 30 projecting from the rodshaped element are received. Each comblike element 31 will perform a movement like a walking beam, and all rod-shaped elements which are connected to such a comb-shaped element will be brought to rotate synchronously. The driving of a device modified in that way can be carried out in such way that only two of the rods connected to each comb-shaped element 31 will be driven and the rest of the rods will be idling rods which are brought to rotate synchronously to the driven rods.

In order to keep each ribbon 25 stretched, one rod in each pair of rods 4 and 5 surrounded by such ribbon, can be influenced by a spring (not shown) so that it tends to move away from the other rod-shaped element 4. Of course, it should be that rod-shaped element 5 of each pair which is located remote from the sign surface 2, which should be influenced by such spring.

Of course, only one rod-shaped element 4 in each pair of rod-shaped elements 4 and 5 needs to be driven. In that case one of the comblike elements 31 should be omitted.

It is also possible to exchange the prismatic rod-shaped elements 5 remote from the sign surface 2 by circular rolls.

Instead of letting one rod-shaped element of each pair of rod-shaped elements 4 and 5 be influenced by a spring so as to stretch or tension the ribbon enclosing such pair of rod-shaped elements it is possible to make the ribbons of an elastic material and let the rod-shaped elements in each pair be fixed relative to each other.

In order to ensure that each advertisement or picture remains stationary each time it is displayed, it is suitable to temporarily lock the rod-shaped elements in the different an gular positions they will be turned to. A locking device for this purpose is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10. A circular disc 35 is fixed to the shaft of each rod. The disc 35 is provided with three recesses 36 in the periphery of such disc, said recesses being displaced 120 with respect to each other. A roller 37 is pivoted on a springy fork 38 which is fastened in a bracket 39. For each angular position to which the rod will be rotated and which corresponds to the display of one of the advertisements or signs, the rollers 37 will engage corresponding recesses 36 and will lock the rod-shaped elements in that particular angular position. When the rod is rotated again, the rollers will slip out of said recesses.

In order to make the sign conveniently visible it may be provided with an illuminating device comprising a lamp 40 on one side of the device. It is also possible to arrange two parallel devices with one sign surface directed in each direction and provide two such lamps as illustrated in FIG. II. It is also possible to make the rod-shaped elements 4 and 5 and the ribbons 25 of transparent material and to provide elongated light sources within the rod-shaped elements, or to combine said illuminating device with lamps for the illumination of the sign from the outside.

In order to obtain a smooth and even advertising surface for each rotational position of the rod-shaped elements 4 and 5 and in order to ensure that the ribbons 25 will endure the sharp bendings which occur each time the rod-shaped elements are rotated, the ribbons 25 may be composed of rather stiff plates the width of which corresponds to the width of the surface of each rod-shaped element. The plates may be connected to each other by a soft, reliable web. Preferably, the ribbons should be made from a cloth supported plastic which is provided with bending indications in the plastic material so that such plates will be formed.

Each ribbon 25 may be made from a piece of a ribbon of greater length, the ends of such piece being joined together. At the joint of each ribbon two complete advertisement forming plates may be overlapping each other and glued together. In order to keep the tension of the ribbons as constant as possible during the rotation of the rod-shaped element it is suitable to let the two rod-shaped elements in each pair be kept in the same angular position as illustrated in FIG. 4 and 5.

A modified embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 12 which shows a cross section through a part of the device according to said embodiment. In this embodiment there are rod-shaped elements 104 and 105, said rod elements being in the shape of rather broad and relatively thin bands or ribs which are brought to rotate about axes 109. In this embodiment each band which surrounds a pair of rod-shaped elements I04 and I05 should be divided in an even number of sign surfaces. The width of each sign surface of each band shall, of course, correspond to the width of each rod-shaped element 104 and 105. The rod-shaped element 104 and 105 can be provided with pins at the upper and/or the under ends thereof. Said pins correspond to the pins 30 in FIG. 8 and prevent that the ribbons 125 will slip on the rod-shaped elements.

Also the embodiment according to FIG. I2 may be provided with a driving device similar to the driving device illustrated in FIG. 5. However, in this case, the disc 15 should be provided with only two pins instead ofthe three pins l7, l8, 19 shown in FIG. 5. Said two pins should be located at diametrically opposite points of the disc 15 and so arranged that each rodshaped element is rotated for each revolution of the disc 20.

The embodiment according to FIG. 12 is more simple and less expensive than the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to II. Further, the embodiment according to FIG. 12 has the advantage that the tensioning of each ribbon 125 is constant during the rotation and therefore, none of the rod-shaped elements in each pair needs to be influenced by any spring.

Also other modifications of the invention may be made within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A device for displaying and changing a plurality of sign sections to produce a succession of composite signs on a sign board, said display device comprising frame means, a plurality of elongated elements arranged side by side in a row at the front of said frame means and in a row at the rear of said frame means, said front row providing a display surface and said rear row being parallel to said display surface, said elements each being substantially planar and having a small thickness relative to the width of the element, means mounting each of said elements for rotation about its vertical axis, said elements in said front row being aligned with corresponding elements in said rear row to form a plurality of pairs of elements, means connecting alternate pairs of said pairs of elements for simultaneous rotation, said connecting means including rigid arms extending between each element of the respective pairs of elements and said connecting means including a first driving member integral with the arms of alternate pairs of elements and including a second driving member integral with the intermediate pairs of elements, a plurality of broad endless ribbons, each of said ribbons enclosing a pair of said elements, wherein each alternate element in each row of such elements rotates in synchronism to the other of said alternate elements in one direction, and each intermediate element also rotates synchronously but in the opposite direction, whereby adjacent parts of different ribbons enclosing pairs of such elements will be moved in the same direction and at the same speed during the rotation, whereby rotation of said elements from one planar side to the other at periodic intervals exposes successive sections of each ribbon on said display surface.

2. A device according to claim I wherein said elements are provided with pins which engage corresponding recesses and the associated ribbon having recesses in position to receive said pins in order to prevent the ribbons from slipping on such elements.

3. A device according to claim 2 wherein each ribbon is divided in a number of relatively unbendable sections of which each section constitutes a part of an advertising surface and has substantially the same width as one of the plane surfaces of one of said elements and in which the different sections of centric of the axis of said second disc, and means for intermittently rotating said second disc through a predetermined angle in response to rotation of said first disc, whereby rotation of said second disc is transmitted to said elements to cause intermittent rotation of the elements. 

1. A device for displaying and changing a plurality of sign sections to produce a succession of composite signs on a sign board, said display device comprising frame means, a plurality of elongated elements arranged side by side in a row at the front of said frame means anD in a row at the rear of said frame means, said front row providing a display surface and said rear row being parallel to said display surface, said elements each being substantially planar and having a small thickness relative to the width of the element, means mounting each of said elements for rotation about its vertical axis, said elements in said front row being aligned with corresponding elements in said rear row to form a plurality of pairs of elements, means connecting alternate pairs of said pairs of elements for simultaneous rotation, said connecting means including rigid arms extending between each element of the respective pairs of elements and said connecting means including a first driving member integral with the arms of alternate pairs of elements and including a second driving member integral with the intermediate pairs of elements, a plurality of broad endless ribbons, each of said ribbons enclosing a pair of said elements, wherein each alternate element in each row of such elements rotates in synchronism to the other of said alternate elements in one direction, and each intermediate element also rotates synchronously but in the opposite direction, whereby adjacent parts of different ribbons enclosing pairs of such elements will be moved in the same direction and at the same speed during the rotation, whereby rotation of said elements from one planar side to the other at periodic intervals exposes successive sections of each ribbon on said display surface.
 2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said elements are provided with pins which engage corresponding recesses and the associated ribbon having recesses in position to receive said pins in order to prevent the ribbons from slipping on such elements.
 3. A device according to claim 2 wherein each ribbon is divided in a number of relatively unbendable sections of which each section constitutes a part of an advertising surface and has substantially the same width as one of the plane surfaces of one of said elements and in which the different sections of each ribbon is connected to each other by a foldable or bendable material.
 4. A device according to claim 1 including a first rotary disc, motor means for continuously rotating said first disc, said connecting means further including a second rotary disc, said first disc being mounted for rotation about an axis parallel and eccentric of the axis of said second disc, and means for intermittently rotating said second disc through a predetermined angle in response to rotation of said first disc, whereby rotation of said second disc is transmitted to said elements to cause intermittent rotation of the elements. 